Around the world, tens of millions of users are using software that enables them to be alerted when friends, family and colleagues go on-line for the real-time exchange of messages. A commonly used term for this type of real-time exchange is instant messaging. Instant messaging is cheap, with most vendors giving away the product and others charging nominal licensing fees. It is also powerful, allowing users to communicate in one window while, for example, looking over a document in another. Team members in different locations can set up impromptu conversations, bouncing ideas and strategies off each other. It provides quick and dirty collaboration, with little to buy and not much to set up.
The best known instant messaging system is America Online's Instant Messenger (AIM) that was originally designed as a feature for AOL's pay service. AIM is software that anyone with an Internet connection can download, whether they are an AOL member or not. After registering a screen name, the user can maintain lists of AOL members and other AIM users, and be alerted whenever one of those in the list comes on-line. When one of those in the list comes on-line, the corresponding screen name appears in an AIM interface window on the screen. By clicking on the name appearing in the AIM interface window, the user may then send an instant message and initiate a conversation session. Users can also sort their buddies into groups. For example, a lawyer could create separate groups for partners, associates, in-house counsel and adversaries.
Other vendors, such as Yahoo, PeopleLink, Mirabilis (ICQ) and Activerse, offer similar instant message service.
Despite the apparent success of instant messaging systems, it is still limited to a user accessing the service through computer-based systems hardwired to the Internet. There exists a need to provide the benefits of instant messaging, immediate knowledge of another online status and real-time text communication, outside of hardwired Internet systems. Specifically in a wireless environment, it would be advantageous to know if a subscriber has turned on their cellular phone. It would also be advantageous to communicate via text messages, which are far less costly than voice communications because text message data uses up much less bandwidth or resources than voice data.